By David Zulu
Mafishi was an elegant aquatic giant that loved to gyrate gracefully and with much aplomb especially when he noticed an attentive audience of admiring students converging on his pond. His exact age is unknown but estimated to be between 6 to 12 years.
Over the years, Mafishi quickly adopted the myth of Nyami Nyami known as the Zambezi River God of the Tonga speaking people of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Nyami Nyami is still believed to protect the Tonga and give them sustenance in difficult times. The current recurring of ZESCO power problems is attributed to the Tonga god’s unquenchable anger over the abuse of the Zambezi river and some Tonga traditionalists have demanded that sacrifices be carried inorder to appease and pacify the angry creature believed submerged on the river bed.
The interspecies relationship between Mafishi and the students was unique and was based on the concept of mutualism, where two individuals from different species exist in a relationship where each benefits from the activity of the other. Students regarded Mafishi as a comforter in times of distress and a befitting partner in happy times. We will never know the benefits Mafishi derived from his human species.
The passionate interest and solidarity by the University student community on the welfare of Mafishi, over the years would have one think that the Copperbelt University has a department of Ichthyology, a branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish. The revered fish died two days ago and the amount of grief and solidarity by the students and ordinary citizens is stunning.
It was the first time that Zambia’s political archrivals shared common views as both paid tribute to a legend and a University hero. UPND President Hakainde Hichilema was the first to offer condolences to the Copperbelt University on his Facebook page. “We stand with the CBU student community, past and present over the death of their iconic pet Mafishi”.
President Edgar Lungu posted on his Facebook; “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals”.
Lungu’s post however drew several criticisms with some bloggers accusing him of caring more for a dead fish than the dead Kwacha that was trading at K20 to one US$. Others aimed sling shots at him reminding the President how a University of Zambia student Vespers Shimuzhila was killed by Police without government taking action against the culprits. And yet others called him a hypocrite for talking about a bream but unwilling to tell the nation who was behind the gassing and ritual killings where hundreds of Zambians lost their lives.
Whatever fallouts or accolades that have followed after the death of Mafishi, one thing that is certain is that Zambians have been united in mourning of a fish. Mafishi has been canonized and has been placed on a fast track course to sainthood. May his fins rest in peace.